In Janury 2024, one of the stand-out websites that supports the teaching of sustainability in and through the UN SDGs published a rather useful Report called “Ready, Willing and Able?”. This explored what the authors describe as the sustainability competencies that young people need to take action for sustainability issues. It showcased programmes from around the world that worked to develop such competencies and set out a series of recommendations to encourage this competency development for more young people. 

In this section, we will explore elements of that report and look particularly at the parts that teachers can find useful when thinking about lesson planning and the selection of teaching materials.

Start by downloading a copy of Ready, Willing & Able from the link above and save it to your device.

Preliminary Read-through.

The summary version we are using is only about 30 pages long – and a lot of this is images and tables or relates to how the research underpinning the Report was done( its methodology and design).  We will not be focusing on this as part of the current activity but it might be of interest later, if you decide to do further study in the area. 

Allow yourself maybe 10-mins to scan and do a preliminary read-through of the full document. Then turn your attention to the following sections in particular – some suggestions on how to get value from this part of the exercise are given immediately below the list:

• Our Vision [p.6].

• the section titled What skills and capacities do children and young people need to address sustainability issues?  [pp.9 – 13], and  then

• the learning objectives / statements of learning on the report suggests for Embodying Sustainability Values [p.14], Acting for Sustainability [p.15], Applying Sustainability Sciences [p.16], Envisioning Sustainable Futures [p.17], and Embracing Complexity in Sustainability [p.18] and finally

• the Definitions of Learning Formats [p.29].

A Closer Reading of key parts of the Report.

As you read through each section below, it would be a good idea to make a few notes as an aide-memoir.

The Vision Statement [p.6]:  does this offer in any useful way a deeper understanding of how education can equip young people to shape a sustainable future?

What skills and capacities do children and young people need to address sustainability issues?  [pp.9 – 13]:  What does the report suggest should be the ‘core’ skills and capacities? Why should we think ‘beyond green skills’? What are the five family groups of sustainability competencies suggested? What is seen as the value of such a taxonomy? Do you find the breaking down of these ‘families’ into clusters of competencies on p.13 helpful? 

Embodying Sustainability Values [p.14]: is divided into three aspect of action and knowledge. (This is the approach taken to each of the ‘families’ / categories in turn but with different focuses.)  What do you think of the headings (Valuing Sustainability / Supporting Fairness and Justice / Connection to Nature) and the suggested learning focuses given under each? Could you see yourself using them in lesson-planning? 

Acting for Sustainability [p.15]: is also divided into three aspects. What do you think of the headings in this case (Political Action / Collective Action / Individual Action)? Would you see possibilities – and / or problems in trying to teach the ideas listed under these?

Applying Sustainability Sciences [p.16]:  this one is a little different form the others, in ways. For one thing it rests heavily on the idea of planetary boundaries – which offers wonderful teaching moments in any sustainability lesson (10 minutes that may change your life; https://youtu.be/2Jq23mSDh9U?si=BpBlsAijbQeCSKXh ) and on a strong sense of scientific method and teaching (through) values based in regenerative practice.  This all needs a bit of thought…

Envisioning Sustainable Futures [p.17]: set out under four headings of action and knowledge. What do you think of the headings (Futures Literacy/Exploratory Thinking/Adaptability/ Circular Design Thinking) and the suggested learning focuses given under each? Again, could you see yourself taking some of these as starting points in your teaching?

Embracing Complexity in Sustainability [p.18]: four aspects – Systems Thinking, Critical Thinking, Solutions Focused, and Informational Skills.  Look carefully at one or two of the eight objectives / statements and ask yourself can I see this being a focus for learning in my classroom, if I have the right resources and materials to prompt that learning?

The Definitions of Learning Formats [p.29]: this final read and think suggestion has far more general relevance to planning for learning than just in terms of sustainability. It offers a handy and easily used set of definitions for different way to think about structuring teaching and learning in the sustainability setting. This range can be found in a number of recent recommendation for learning reform  – including withing the Climate Action & Sustainable Development (CASD) subject-area currently being introduced into the Irish Senior Cycle. 

FOCUSING ACTIVITY:  This Reading Activity above introduced you to some of the capacities, competencies and qualities young people need in order to contribute effectively to sustainability efforts  in their schools, communities and wider society and how these could be built into thoughtful and valuable teaching experiences. 

A question you might now want to ask yourself is In what ways could these activities engage your students across the different knowledge areas and subjects that you teach?